When Life Sucks.

Job’s life sucked. 

Well… it didn’t start that way! 

Lots of wealth, plenty of land and a big family. 

I’m sure his neighbors and friends looked at him and thought, “Wow… God has really blessed him!” He had it all!

Then one day… it all fell apart. Lost his kids, lost his wealth. All that remained was his nagging wife.

So his buddies came to visit and boy were they encouraging :)

As I have listened to the story of Job (listening through the Bible in a year! Digging Deeper Daily App… love it!) my heart has ached for the poor guy. His friends tried to give him advice, help him figure out why he was suffering. But their words just hurt him more.

Last Monday, I came to understand Job in a whole new way.

No I didn’t lose everything.

My family is still intact and our bank account is still ok.

I have a rash on my calf… but I don’t think they are boils.

But I DID feel very let down by God.

The retreat that had been advertised, prayed over, fasted over and prepared for was a flop. My dear friend Marcia and I stood in the park waiting… and waiting… and waiting… and waiting for girls who never came. We’d been let down by God. This was for HIM after all!

But the 2 of us cried together as Robersy drove us in the empty van back to our neighborhood and then we cried with the few that had sacrificed their time to come and help. Then we packed up, ate some ice-cream and guess what… life went on :)

Hurt… yes!

Disappointed… yes!

A little angry… yes!

Embarrassed… YES!!!

“The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” Job 1:21b

I’m so thankful for the time that Erica allowed me to have away from Lily House (the following day) to just fall on my face before an Almighty Savior and remember that He is still in control!

HE knows which ladies will come to HIM… HE knows them by name… HE created them… and HE is preparing them.

But that awesome Creator God has also given us the beautiful privilege of serving HIM here and we will continue to do so!

That afternoon we had a pool party instead and ministered to Robersy’s boys. The following day I lead the Bible study at Lily House. We had youth group in Los Conucos. We’ve had baseball games, discipleship, etc. etc. etc.

I tell the girls at Lily House all the time. When life sucks you have two choices.

“You can stay on the ground… or you can get back up.”

I am choosing to get up.

I pray that through life’s sucky times you will choose to do the same!!!

Serving an unchanging Savior in a ever-changing world

I wanted to kill them at youth group.
Well... most of them anyways. 
There were so many, and they were SO naughty!

But as Robersy and I are sprawled out on the couch this Sunday evening in our Sunday bests vegetating after a long day, we can't help but praise God for all HE has done. To see several young people worshiping the LORD as they led the service at 2 different churches. It IS worth it. Here are some photos from Friday night (before the "storm") and some from the services today...

Games at youth group

Weekly eating competition by Nate

Worship at Iglesia Bautista Misionera Juan Dolio

A break for lunch

Worship at Los Fundos

Each week we are reminded of God's faithfulness. In our quiet time with the Lord... in each day of service... each night when we lay our heads down. HE IS FAITHFUL.

This past week we talked about this a bit in my GAP small group. You may have seen some funny pictures on my FB wall of friends years ago. In some cases the photos were taken 10 years ago... others, a mere 5 years ago. Oh how we have changed! Our living situations have changed, our relationship statuses have changed, our walk with the LORD has changed... but GOD... GOD has remained the same. His love for us has stayed consistent, His grace is still sufficient, His mercy is still abundant. We may have changed, but God remains the same.

In a world that is constantly changing, this concept of an unchanging God is foreign to us. But it ought to bring peace. 

The God who breathed life in to man...
The God who spoke with Adam and Eve in the garden...
The God who spoke through a burning bush...
The God who parted the sea...
The God who became flesh...
The God who paid it all...

That is the God we serve.
We have changed... but He has not.

Each year as we lead up to Easter I read "More Than A Carpenter" and every year I'm reminded of how truly blessed I am to know Christ as my Savior. If you have the chance, read this gem!!! It goes through historical evidence by philosophers, historians, doctors, etc. proving that Jesus was more than "just a man." But He isn't just God either. He is ALMIGHTY, POWERFUL, RIGHTEOUS, HOLY, PERFECT GOD. He always has been... and He will always be. 

I'm reminded of this every Tuesday-Friday as I teach and disciple girls at the Lily House, I'm reminded every Thursday nights as we walk the streets of Boca Chica, I'm reminded every Friday night as we serve crazy, naughty teens (that God loves very much and we do too). And since we talk about this often... I know Robersy is reminded at each practice, game and Bible study with his boys.

Speaking of Robersy, he just crawled towards the bedroom (did I mention it's only 8:30pm) and I'll be heading that way soon. To lay our heads down once again and to rest in His forever grace. 

Raindrops, palm trees and parades

So far it has been a pleasant Monday. Up at 6:30am to walk the dogs… then back to bed! Up again at 8:30am to go for a run, walked to the grocery store, prepared lunch (chicken put in a sauce to marinate and sweet potatoes wrapped in foil ready for the grill) then some precious time finishing up my “Read the Bible in a year” program. It took me a year, 2 months and 2 days. But I did it J

A lovely morning indeed.

But it just got better! The rain clouds rolled in and the electricity went out. Now it’s me with a full tummy and only the sound of rain on the palm trees outside… oh and Robersy playing some car game on the ipad, haha!

Did that description make you want to come visit us? I hope so!

Last week I was sick as a dog and so I never posted this, but we had the privilege of celebrating a wedding with one of the Lily House girls! A partner in ministry wrote this about the special union…

God is making some amazing things happen on this island in and through our partners. But there is one story in particular that has really made my heart SING this week, because I am such a sucker for a good LOVE STORY & I just have to share!! This past weekend a woman rescued years ago from commercial sexual exploitation by one of our safehouse partners-- who at that time separated from her then (non-legal) husband, himself trapped in a cycle of abuse and addiction-- was blessed with the opportunity to celebrate the work of God in her life in bringing her and her husband's journey full circle! After years spent apart, separately healing, learning about their true identities in Christ, and learning to lean on God and his Love for them, the two have finally been able to come back together as man and wife-- THIS TIME legally, before God, and before a community of witnesses who love and support them!!!!! And, at their wedding, this renewed and restored man of God was able to stand before the group who was present and testify as to how Christ has transformed his view of women and of himself in relation to his bride, while boys and young men-- many of whose views and hearts towards women are still being formed and who have countless negative influences pushing in on them from all sides-- had the opportunity to listen on with open ears and open hearts.

SO incredibly thankful for a God who breaks EVERY chain, who RESTORES BROKEN THINGS and whose good work in one life can multiply and bring LIGHT and LIFE to entire families and communities! 

By Mary Hooke, Women At Risk.

This is what makes each day of ministry worth it. This is why we go out each Thursday night. This is why we serve. Not to see a gorgeous wedding (although I looove weddings)… but to see lives changed!

It was a short week since I was sick Monday and Tuesday, but it became even shorter since Friday was a public holiday. February 27^th is Independence Day here in the Dominican and it is certainly a day of celebration.

Since we knew that many of our youth group kids and baseball boys would be in the Independence Day march (kind of like a parade, but mainly just schools marching) we decided to load up some of the ladies and kids from Lily House and check it out. I thought we were only going to watch, but much like the Gombeys in Bermuda, the Dominicans watch… then march with them! So we ended up walking the whole thing (me with a baby in sleeping in my arms and although she is tiny, goodness did my back hurt afterwards!!!) and then watching the celebration at the end.

It was fun to watch several of our kids and we even got to see the school that was wearing skirts made my Lily House! Too cool.

Here are some pics.

My sweet, back-breaking bundle :)

The parade

The skirts that Lily House made. YAY!

Some of our girls from youth group.

   

The celebration continued in to youth group with a Dominican themed evening which ended with a hot dog eating competition.

So needless to say, it has been a wonderful week.

For those who pray, please lift up my hubby to God Almighty. Robersy has been working hard with his boys (coaching, discipleship, teaching and ball games), but please pray that God will send him help. He is out on the field coaching on his own most days and last week he even passed out outside of church from pure exhaustion. This next week we’ll have a friend here to help him for 4 days, but be praying for someone long term!

Thank you! GOD BLESS!